ILO Director-General Gilbert F. Houngbo has urged the G7 Labour and Employment Ministers to take bold measures to empower young people for the future of work, highlighting that one in five youths globally is not in education, employment, or training, with two-thirds of them being women. Speaking during an online meeting under Canada’s G7 presidency, Houngbo emphasized that youth unemployment remains structurally higher than adult unemployment, particularly in G7 countries, signaling long-term challenges that require practical, inclusive solutions.
The G7 Labour and Employment Ministers adopted new commitments to expand opportunities for youth and strengthen inclusive labour markets. They emphasized tackling barriers to workforce entry, boosting youth labour force participation, and equipping workers with skills for a rapidly evolving labour market. The communiqué reaffirmed commitments to economic opportunities for all, including persons with disabilities, ensuring resilience and adaptability in the workforce.
Houngbo outlined three key priorities for G7 action: equipping youth for technological transformations in labour markets, including through AI-focused initiatives; enabling full participation of youth with disabilities by addressing higher NEET rates and improving disability-disaggregated labour market data; and tackling structural barriers through youth guarantees, robust school-to-work transition systems, and social protection to support decent job opportunities.
Artificial intelligence was a central focus of the discussions, with ministers launching a compendium of best practices for the human-centred development and use of AI in the world of work, developed with contributions from the OECD, ILO, and G7 members. Houngbo stressed that empowering youth to see clear ladders of opportunity is essential for fostering innovation, social cohesion, and long-term prosperity. The ILO reaffirmed its readiness to support G7 members in implementing inclusive strategies to make the future of work a future of decent work for all.
